I totally enjoyed reading Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia #GodsOfJadeAndShadow #NetGalley . Looking forward to reading more by this author. As historical fiction, I feel like I learned a lot about the Mexican folklore and culture of Casiopea Tun who is somewhat of a Cinderella. character. She lives with her rich relatives and is treated as a common house slave.. But she yearns for more. By happenstance, she frees and reanimates the Mayan god of Death who has been held captive in a trunk for 200 years. And so the adventure begins. She agrees to help the god return to his home in the underworld to defeat his twin brother who has taken his throne as king of the underworld. His brother is intent on returning the world to honor him as in the old days, when tribute was in the form of human sacrifice.

The journey with the fallen king of the Underworld is adventurous and frightening, but Casiopea has made a solemn promise to help and support .him. It may cost her her own life, but at least she is able to live a life of freedom and adventure.. And, she finds that all she wants now is to be with him forever..

I was given a copy of this book through NetGallery, but am voluntarily posting an honest review.

4.5/5 stars

This book was exhilarating. Our scene is set almost as a Cinderella story, but it goes so much further than that very quickly. Soon our heroine is on an adventure with a deposed Mayan god, and her pace almost feels breathless. I was sucked in quickly and inhaled the book over about a day and a half.

(SN: Anyone else have The Road to El Dorado stuck in their head the whole time? Every time I saw the word Xibalba I was tossed back into the movie and I'm sure that's terrible but eh that's life :P)

Anyway, Hun-Kame was not exactly likable as a god, but as he grew more and more human I sort of started falling for him too. Casiopea's longing for adventure finally caught up to her, and she got what she wanted, but not exactly as planned. Martin - I just wanted to slap him silly. And pretty much the entire rest of her family.

The reason I gave this 4.5 stars is because we don't get to see what happened to Casiopea's family after the final "game." I wanted to know what was going to happen to her grandfather, how her mother was affected, and all that. I wanted to know what kind of person Martin would become. And admittedly, even though the way it ended was actually kind of perfect, I was a little disappointed that it didn't end the way I half expected it to. I think it could have worked out either way, and I do like that the author was bold enough to end it with the outcome she chose.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this wonderful book.

4/5 stars

Ok so, I just love this cover? It's what got me to look into this book in the first place. I was actually shocked, but not surprised, that this was by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I read and loved Certain Dark Things, a Mexican/Aztec vampire novel, and I was really interested to read this Mexican/Mayan Death God story. I love seeing novels that have some sort of background in my roots, and I honestly don't see it enough. I'm shocked I didn't hear about this earlier before I received an ARC for it!

So the actual book! For the most part, I enjoyed Silvia's storytelling and writing. Like Certain Dark Things, this one has it's own tone while still having her lush descriptions that I enjoy. Our MC Casiopea (Casi for short) is brought into the world of the Gods by pure mistake. She accidentally unleashes the God of Death and must accompany him to retake his throne from his brother.

We really get to see major world-building, which is what I was actually missing from Certain Dark Things taking place only in one location. In Gods of Jade and Shadow, we travel across the country and even explore the Underworld. Silvia's writing really shines because she's a master at just describing everything without it being too in-your-face. I can't really describe it right, but I'd go as far as to say that it was magical. Characters are strong as well for this very reason, too.

Only reason I knocked down a star is that it dragged quite a bit in the middle. I also had a hard time getting into the story for about the first 75 pages or so. Even though things get started quickly, much like in Certain Dark Things, I didn't feel invested until we were a ways in. This may be an issue for some. I just wanted to point that out because I was actually getting worried I wasn't interested.

Overall, I still recommend this! It was a really great mythology fantasy book! This is an Adult novel though, so if that turns you off I'd suggest borrowing from a library. I think many people will enjoy this though! It's a bit different than the average novel releasing, so I think it's worth a shot!

ARC provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Gods of Jade and Shadow absolutely stole my heart; it is a beautiful story about making your own destiny. It tackles complex, interesting issues like what makes us human and what makes our life worth living. This isn't an action-packed fantasy read, and I appreciated that. There are moments of action and tension, but it's mostly an exploration for what it means to make your own choices and actively pursue your dreams.  It is thought-provoking while also keeping entertaining, adventure elements.

Casiopea is such a great main character. She is willful and yet so unsure of herself because she grew up in such unfortunate circumstances. But, she tries to not let her situation get in the way of dreaming her own dreams and striving to live a life she thinks would be worthwhile. Her character is a great foil for Hun-Kame, the god of death, because they are so different and challenge each other in beautiful ways. My favorite part of this book was reading the way they interacted and their funny conversations with each other.

I really appreciated becoming immersed in a mythology that I feel like doesn't get enough attention in fiction. Moreno-Garcia breathes life into Mayan mythology and makes it feel so real and present. Reading about the magic of the underworld and the gods interacting in their realm was an absolute treat, and Moreno-Garcia's skill with writing is incredible. I feel like I was effortlessly taken on a journey, which meant she had to work really hard to create this world and embed the fantasy elements to make them seem natural. I am going to actively seek out more books centering on Mayan Mythology, and I will for sure be looking out for Moreno-Garcia's other books as well!

“Fate is a force more powerful than gods.”

4.5 Stars

I’m having such an amazing reading month! I feel like it’s just a matter of time until I strike out, but for now the streak continues.

This book has my favorite qualities in it, including but not limited to: Death and the maiden, light and dark motifs, lord of death finds an equal in a simple maiden and they actively break each others’ cycles, compassion triumphs over hate, and redemption. Basically, it’s mythology at it’s finest.

Honestly, this is such a terribly special book. It’s so timeless and smart. I knew with every page I turned, that I would never have this exact experience again. Everything that happens is both surprising and something that I’ve always known. This book is such an absolute dream.

There are, as with most things, some room for critique... I wasn’t a huge fan of the changing perspectives in the book, but I can understand that it opens up the story and reveals things in a much bigger way than just one perspective would have. It’s just that I mostly just wanted to be in Casiopea’s storyline. The other thing is that the ending wasn’t fully satisfying for me. It completely was up until a certain point. I’m sure for some readers it’ll be just fine, but I like to have my cake and eat it too!

I enjoyed this book so, so much and would recommend it not just because it was an enjoyable read, but also because I think that the story told is ageless in it’s relevance. This would be great for anyone who enjoyed Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente, The Star-Touched Queen Series by Roshani Chokshi, and honestly for any lover of myths, folktales, and legends.

“Destruction brings renewal.”

My review is also posted Magic and Mysteries, my blog, which you can find here: https://farawaygalaxy.home.blog/2019/05/14/book-review-gods-of-jade-and-shadow-by-silvia-moreno-garcia-🔲/

Gods of Jade and Shadow is a sweet dive into the world of Mayan mythology. The 1920s setting is beautifully rendered, and I enjoyed the novel as an historical travelogue. The scenes in which Casiopea is traveling by train and experiencing being in cities for the first time are transporting in the best way.

My only qualms are that Casiopea comes off as a bit of a Mary Sue at times, and the descriptions and plot were somewhat simplistic. However, on the whole the hero's journey was well done and worthwhile.

Many thanks to Net Galley & Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.

Thos book had good plot. Writing was ok. I wished there was more Mayan history in it. Author tried to captivate a reader with paranormal theme bit for me it fell a little short. Almost like my cake flavor was not sweet enough. Regardless, the book was a good read.

A young woman accidentally gets a shard of bone in her hand, bringing back to quasi-life one of the gods of the underworld. Bound to each other until he can remove the shard, the pair goes off to find three of his missing body parts--his ear, his eye, and a finger bone. Along the way the god becomes more human and the woman more entranced with his physical beauty. There's some beautiful descriptive writing, but overall the story reifies the power of men--living and dead and otherwise--over women in Latin American cultures. The formulaic horse-trading of the adventure was predicable.

Another amazing story by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. The writing took a little to get used to, but it turned into a page turner quickly. Highly recommend, especially for those interested in Mayan culture.

Imaginative and exciting both. Highly readable! I will surely recommend. Good for many audiences. Love the Mayan aspect.

Unfortunately, this book really didn't work for me. I'm not sure why- I think the story could have been super interesting, and I was very intrigued by the premise, but the book was kind of a slog for me. I think it may have been the writing. Something about the writing just didn't work for me, and I think that compromised my experience with the book. Though I can see how some might enjoy it, this one didn't work for me.

I LOVE Silvia Moreno-Garcia, so I was pretty pumped when I was approved for an eARC of her latest novel on Netgalley. SMG has a way of writing books in different genres, but also blending genres, and that's what she accomplishes with her latest. Gods of Jade and Shadow blends a period piece with a mythological quest narrative that made my heart ache for our protagonist Casiopea.

I'll admit, it felt like it did take a minute to get into the crux of the story and into the fantasy elements. I think maybe the pacing in the beginning could have been tightened up. It felt like it took a bit establishing just how droll and terrible Casiopea's life is. I think Casiopea is a little bit different than the other characters SMG has written. She still has fire and a rebellious spirit, but she feels a little bit more timid and reserved than the protagonists in her other books. I didn't think it was an issue, I think it actually makes a lot of sense for the time period. Especially when she gets into all the things that are drilled into her head by the priests in her small town. So once she sees the world of the city and is experiencing different things, it's really hard for her to know how to feel about it.

I know next to nothing about Mayan mythology, but the struggle between Hun-Kamé and Vucub-Kamé was a lot of fun to read about. Especially since I love a good quest story, and the book is basically that with Hun-Kamé and Casiopea traveling around to collect all the pieces of his body that were taken from him. It's sounds gross, but it's really not.

There's a little bit of a romance element in this book, which I wasn't really expecting in this book, but it was a nice surprise. The romance is written in this very subtle quiet way, that it kind of broke my heart in the end. Like be still my beating heart, the emotions that SMG writes into these small quiet moments in this book are amazing. It's very mild heat, and more focuses on the emotions of the characters, if you are wondering how much it gets into.

I think if you love a good book based on mythology, or if you are fan of this author's work already, you would really enjoy this book!

Interesting setting and background mythology, but, in the end, a fairly formulaic book. I was interested, particularly, in the Mayan mythology aspects but there were lots of elements that sort of left me wanting something more.

This is Moreno-Garcia’s first novel, but it’s very hard to tell. YA novel set in Mexico in the Jazz Age that focuses on Mayan folklore. To some degree you can probably tell where it’s going to go very quickly if you know the genre, but it’s a fun journey, and the way that it ends is bittersweet but perfect. Definitely read this when it comes out in August.

Take the journey of a lifetime (literally) through 1920s Mexico with Casiopea Tun, the unhappy granddaughter of a wealthy man on the Yucatan Peninsula, and the Mayan god of death. Full of folklore, adventure and tradition, this novel is perfect for fans of The Night Tiger.

This was a fun read unlike anything else I've encountered lately. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has created a unique world that's interesting to read.

Oh my goodness, do you yourself a favor and purchase this when it gets published in August!

This standalone myth-making tale was truly one of a kind!

The narrative takes place in Mexico in the 1920s and follows Casiopeia, our servant protagonist, as she embarks on a dark journey after opening her grandfather's locked chest. Hoping to find gold that she can use to escape her dreary life, she becomes shocked to realize what the contents of the chest actually contain: the magical bones of the Mayan god Hun-Kame. As a shard of bone sinks into Casiopeia's skin - thus fusing her life with that of the god's - she finds herself forcibly partaking on a quest to assist Hun-Kame in taking back the throne of Xibalba (Mayan Underworld) from his deceitful, power hungry brother.

The idea behind Gods of Jade and Shadow was as fascinating as the world-building. Moreno-Garcia builds up the atmospheric elements of the Underworld while beautifully executing the integration of a slow-build romance, Mayan history, and a new perspective on the flapper-era. The author's writing made capturing the entirety of every scene effortless.

Whilst this book wasn't complex by any means, it still made me think about Mexican culture and how religions are being impacted by the modernization of civilization and development of technology. The concept of what eradicates a religion was also briefly addressed and made me think about all the ones that have unfortunately become extinct.

As for the characters, they all came across as clear, distinct, and relatable in their own way - which is a surprising feat to accomplish.

The only reason I didn't rate this book a full five stars was because, at times, the pacing came across as a bit slow. And not gunna lie, the ending left me just a smidge salty even tho I appreciated what the author was trying to convey. The storyline conclusion was satisfying in a logical sense, but emotionally? I was not fully sated. If you get invested in romances, you'll understand where I'm coming from when you finish this.

This book has so much to offer, and it's legitimately a good book. I'm not sure it'll be your favorite, but I can say without a doubt you'll be able to gain something from it.

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with an ebook version of this story. Yet another awesome read urging me forth to purchase the actual physical copy.

This book is tailored for me to fall in love with it. Casiopea's life is a miserable one, being forced to serve her grandfather and cousins since the death of her father. But in a fit of rage, she unknowingly releases the ancient god of death from his prison, and a result throws everything off-balance as fate hands out a new set of cards. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has her readers and Casiopea thrown into an adventure across an ever-shifting landscape with gods and demons and witches living in the Jazz Age. A thrilling adventure for fans of Deathless and non-European folklore, this story will sink its teeth into you and never let go.

Beautifully written, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a 2019 favorite.

A copy has been provided by NetGalley and Random House Publishing. The review has been posted on Goodreads on 04/04/19.

Let me begin by saying this was one of my most anticipated books of 2019. Mayan mythology and a deal with the god of death? How could I say no? I started the book wanting very much to love it. Perhaps my high expectations set me up for a more critical read, but in the end, it was just an okay read for me.

What was Great:

I think we both know I believe this is an excellent concept. I had been looking forward to reading it for months when I got the arc. The opening of the book and the last quarter are the strongest parts, and I wish it could have been carried throughout. In the beginning, I was absolutely taken in by the mystery and the dilemma in which the main character found herself, and toward the end by the setting of the climax and the strength of the main character.

Moreno-Garcia also really understands plot structure. She continuously raised the stakes during each step of the adventure, and the second half of the book really gained steam. I do wish the pacing was slightly different. I often wanted to spend more time at each plot beat-- an early interaction with a demon set my expectations and some of the following interactions didn't quite meet them. I think so much of what was 'great' about the story was really what 'could have been' because I could often see what she was trying to do, which direction she was going (and I liked that direction) but the book never quite got there.

What Could Have Been Improved (relative to my personal tastes):

There were moments this book felt more like a framework of a story than a complete work. Most chapters were introduced with a short paragraph or two describing the new place the characters were traveling to, but we moved so quickly from place to place, and we're often so focused on overcoming the next obstacle that it was difficult to get a full feel of each location. In the cases where we did learn more about the place, it was often through repetition of information we already had which made it hard to resist skimming the book.

I also often felt removed from the characters because of the narrative style. I understand how the author wanted me to feel about Cassiopeia, and the structure was there, but because so much of the information about her was repeated, and she spent a lot of the book a passive character-- serving as a way for the author to provide exposition -- I was not able to fully connect with her.

Mainly, what this repetition communicated to me is she did not trust the reader. We are told repeatedly the qualities of certain characters but we are not given enough time or space to see them displayed. Even more frustrating, much of the exposition is communicated to us through literal interviews with gods. At one point, the narrator indicated Vucub Kame, the god of death, rarely answered the main character, Cassiopeia's, questions but we only ever really see him answering every single one. Even in the instances where she shows the god behaving in a certain way, she often follows it with a description. The reader can never infer on their own who Vucub Kame is based on his actions, they must be told by the narrator (who it seems is describing Cassiopeia's views in her chapters).


Final notes:
I will schedule the review to run after the release date.

Okay, I fell in love with this book SO BAD. As soon as I saw being compared to 'Deathless' I was on board. But also, the fact that Silvia Moreno-Garcia takes pride in the fact that she is Mexican and that she will write stories relating to the culture and history of the country makes me extremely happy. I was born in Mexico but didn't spend enough time there to actually remember much, I grew up in America, surrounded by family that continued to celebrate themselves as proud Mexicanos.

Sadly, I sort of diverged myself from that during my teen years, learning extensively about English to the point that I forgot a lot of Spanish. I no longer believed much in the Mexican tradition but I wish I did. What this book does, does what Deathless did for Russia. It captured the spirit of the country. Though it's a bit of love story, they're both beautiful books that show the hardships of woman struggling in the world of man. The feel and the grip of Gods of Jade and Shadow was unlike any other, I thought Deathless was my most favorite book but maybe not anymore. This book took my dormant Mexican soul and yanked it out. I certainly need to read more of Silvia Moreno's stories as I've heard most take place in Mexico (Mexican vampires? A Mexican thriller? I need it all!)